Big week ahead, Dynamo must claim one victory

Dominic Kinnear has this team on the right track. But there’s work to be done.

The Dynamo haven’t whined about injuries, but it’s clear they have missed Brian Ching’s leadership. With that said, I disagree with any fans who wish Koke would replace Will Bruin in the starting lineup.

Geoff Cameron takes a shot on goal Saturday as Rafael Marquez of the New York Red Bulls defends. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Geoff Cameron has shown flashes of brilliance, and the Dynamo can be a true championship team if he can push himself into being a world-class attacking midfielder in the mold of Benny Feilhaber, the U.S. national team player the Dynamo desperately tried to acquire. Just imagine how great the Dynamo would have been if they had been able to acquire Feilhaber and perhaps pushed Cameron into a holding midfielder’s role or back at center back?

Cameron will have a great test on Wednesday when the Dynamo face the Los Angeles Galaxy. In the short term, the Dynamo would be ecstatic if Cameron could develop enough this season to compare with former teammate Stuart Holden, but the kid is talented enough that he should strive to be as good as Landon Donovan some day.

Too much to ask? I don’t think so because I’ve seen Cameron in practice, but I also understand why some fans are saying that if Cameron cannot finish the opportunities he had on Saturday he might be better suited for being a special center back.

Kinnear’s teams have been known to progress as the season evolves. They’ve been known to clean up the early mistakes, and I would expect the same to be true this season. If Je-Vaughn Watson takes time to watch video of the Red Bulls’ game-tying goal in the 90th minute, he could learn a lesson or two from the way Bobby Boswell guarded his man as though his life depended on it.

The Dynamo have done a solid job of collecting a pair of draws against Real Salt Lake and the New York Red Bulls, two very special opponents. Now, they have the L.A. Galaxy and FC Dallas this week to end their most difficult stretch of games.

Nobody who has seen the Dynamo play in the last two games would deny that Kinnear has a quality team.

Now it’s time to build on the solid start and improve enough to be a legit MLS Cup contender, which is the goal for Kinnear and Co.